[9]

1877

Ripe purple grapes. Hot-Hou Vinery

Sept 11th 5˚ P.m. cleaned sponged 8 & put other 8 with bloom in bottle in distilled water — Kept bottle on chimney piece in study at temp vary from 67° to 71° F.

On 14th many bubbles of air proceeded from the cleaned ones as often as shaken. — At 10˚ P.m. fluid looked purplish but was doubtful.

15th 7˚ A.m. fluid in which cleaned grapes were purplish, acid & sweet & 6 of the grapes burst out of the 8 burst with great chasm on one side.

None of grape with bloom burst & most of them when blown were partially dry though in bloom not quite removed. — The cleaned ones, I thank, tasted rather more fermented than the others those with bloom. — (There must be great endosmose, so wide wide were the [illeg] on the cleaned ones.) William & Frank tasted Franks grapes & concluded that the cleaned ones were the best tasted, but seem most watery. They have a vinous taste & it was when those with bloom were cleaned that the difference in taste came out plainest. Certainly not much difference in taste. The ruptured grapes could not last long — It is said that plain rupture after much rain.

[10]

Ripe grapes (purple) 1877

I think there is other paper somewhere

Sept 11th 5˚ 15' P.m. — 8 clean & 8 with bloom put to dry first in window & then on my chimney piece.

Sept 23d The cleaned some have 1 side a little flattened

Sept 28th 4 of the cleaned ones much & a 5' a little shrunk, none with bloom clearly so, though no doubt have lost considerably by evaporation.

(— 29th all 6 6 of the cleaned much indented, only 1 with bloom very slightly indented.) (Oct 4th all on both sides indented but great difference between the 2 lots.)

Nov. 6th Handed over to Frank to weigh & thoroughly dry

do. date 8 + 8 to be syringed.

Sept 20' 1 with bloom mouldy & rotten

― 22' 1 do cracked & rather mouldy.

― 23d several with mould growing on them!

24th 4/6 with mould Bloom seem to make a bed for mould to grow— not one of cleaned burst or mouldy

― 25' grapes with bloom in same rotative state

27' do. do— Cut one 2 of each open; the juice of mouldy ones taste mouldy, & whole cut surface looks rather more disintegrated.

29' 2 more grapes with bloom miserably mouldy & decayed none of the cleaned ones moldy.

Oct 6. one with bloom somewhat mouldy.

(Oct. I' The latter very mouldy & thrown away, one cleaned rotten on one side)

(over)

[10v]

(a) Oct. 4' 8˚ 30 2 of the cleaned grapes mouldy

Oct 6 9˚ 2 of the cleaned rotten & mouldy

do 1 on each side not mouldy or rotten cut open & threw away — The one with bloom tasted, I think, more mouldy